Diabetes, high blood pressure, and the possibility of a stroke are all serious health concerns that can arise from obesity.
Now for the surprising part: your oral health also suffers as a result of obesity.
There’s a link between periodontal (gum) disease and obesity, and obesity is actually a risk factor for periodontal diseases. This means that gum disease can be a direct result of being obese. Conversely, if you have periodontal disease you are risk for increased body weight.
So in order to help you lose weight and increase your oral health – here are 5 ways to have fun and shed a few pounds along the way:
- Head to a pool and paddle around. You will be amazed at how many calories swimming will burn.
- Visit the zoo. Walking around the zoo is as good as walking around a track!
- Go camping. Setting up the tent and building a fire will all burn calories that sitting at home watching TV can’t.
- Go shopping. It will be exercise and retail therapy all in one day.
- Plant a garden. Besides burning a ton of calories, using your homegrown veggies for dinner is much healthier than that drive-thru food you normally eat.
- Cut down on salt. Eating more fresh foods over frozen or processed meals is healthier for a variety of reasons. It provides you with more nutrients and vitamins, which support oral and overall health. Frozen foods are packed with salt to preserve them – a frozen pizza can have as much as 700 mg of sodium!
Your whole body (including your mouth) will be thankful for your new, healthier routines. Combining exercise with healthy meals is the best way to achieve and maintain wellness each and every day.
Looking for more advice on having a healthy lifestyle? Check out:
*Updated May 2019
